Armin x Reader: One For The Books
by cuTiecaTn
Summary: A perfectly normal and random stranger you met in the library is now your very own story reader. Your book of choosing is a romantic tale of "star-crossed" lovers. But, what happens when this stranger starts to read to you these words that are not from the pages but from feelings that festered along the way?
1. Library-Crossed Lovers

Leather-back books, coffee steam, and century-old dust all gave off a "grandma's attic" type of smell throughout the wonderland of stories. Sweet sounds of nothing cooed within the walls, accompanied by the quiet pitter patters of footsteps from the few other reading enthusiasts. Shelves and shelves stored with fiction and non-fiction formed a maze you've memorized perfectly.

Today is the day you've been waiting on for a well amount of time. If you pass three rows and take a left, you should arrive at the section where "Star-Crossed" should have been placed if truly returned by the previous owner. It's what the public access computers informed you.

You've memorized the details of that book front and back; a midnight-blue glossy cover with it's elegant title printed in a dazzling faded gold above a perfect couple embracing each other, their silhouettes formed by bright and pure white stars. No longer shall you wait to enjoy the journey it foretells within it's tan pages, now is the time in your life that you will be braced with the most extravagant story alive.

And there it was, it's deep colored spine stood out among the others, grabbing your attention by the throat. Stumbling over your own feet, you hushly rush to said book as your heart began to drum to a faster beat. The reason why you couldn't get a wink of sleep last night, and also the future cause of late night reading, slid gracefully out from the cluster and into your trembling grasp.

"A beautiful work of art, that story is," a mellow voice whispered through the short-kept silence. "Read it cover to cover an uncountable amount of times."

You looked up at the one who chimed into your moment and offered him a welcoming smile, hoping he'd continue on with his words in his calming, butter-melting voice.

Crystallized, summer sky eyes, filled with passion, found their way to yours as he began to finish where he left off.

"It's such an amazing adventure of two lovers explained explicitly through fine-picked wording. I've never read a more perfect relationship. Their love was meant to be. Just as shown on the front, it was written in the stars _._ "

The curve of your lips expanded ear to ear as you lost your conscience in his own way of describing the story.

Excitement fueled your drive into his conversation as you replied, "So I've heard! Not a day has gone by that I haven't craved reading this. Though, I've seen many positive reviews but none as admiring as yours. Tell me, _is it really that good_?"

He chuckled happily, appreciating and liking your interest in what he has to say.

"I don't want to raise your expectations but I believe it will be the best book to ever meet your gaze. No other author has ever put me in such a trans!"

Flawlessly was how his speech danced into your head. You didn't want to hear anything else but more and more of what the blond had input on.

Jumping on your heels, you eagerly peeled open the book and was immediately greeted by the check-out list on the first page. It's only borrower was an Armin Arlert, his name signed in red cursive.

"Is your name _Armin_ by any chance?" you quizzed as you tilted your head back up to him.

Pink flooded onto his cheeks shyly and he raised his now shaky hands up to his chest as he twiddled his thumbs. "H-how did you know?" He was unable to look you in the eyes so he cast them to the space between your feet.

In a hurried attempt to help him relax after you upset him, you flipped the book around and pointed at the list with a quivering index finger. "It says here that an Armin had this book."

The flustered reader who belonged to the name Armin let out a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh, yeah, _that_ , heheh. Yes, I am Armin," still keeping his voice low, he introduced himself formally with an extended arm.

Gently taking his hand and squeezing, you chirped, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Armin. I'm _(First Name)_."

Armin repeated your name back to you in a simple greeting sentence used often by others to help memorize their new acquaintance's name. Even your own name was perfect as he said it.

Now that you are on common ground with eachother-

" ** _Would you mind reading Star-Crossed to me, Armin_**?"

Awkwardly, you sustained eye-contact with the taken back boy and held the book out to him. An idea that hadn't received any attention from the back of your mind surfaced and spat out through your lips. Armin wasn't the only shocked contributor to this A B conversation.

Dead air quiet enough to drop a pin sunk in until he stuttered an unsure reply that he had to repeat before he meant it.

"S-sure, I'll do that. I mean, _yeah._ What wrong does it do to read through it again? No, no what I meant was _yes_. Yes, _I'd like to do that for you_."

Bad wasn't even a start to explaining how you felt for asking a question as on the spot as that. But, Armin's answer was assuring enough to the point that you were mid-way alright with letting him be your temporary Audio Book.

Trying to help ease the tensed, thick atmosphere, you suggested, "How about tomorrow here? A-and we can sit at the outdoor cafe?"

Armin claimed the book from your hands and nodded speedily. "I'll see you at one o' clock, _(f/n)_."

"Okay, Armin," you smiled once before he gladly returned one back, red blooming across his nose.

That being said, the golden-haired boy disappeared in the spiral of book shelves before you could even call any mind to the color of his face.


	2. At The Park

**Clouds piled high in the sky, nearly touching the stars. They blocked the sun's light, masking a gray hue on the ground. Just as your mood, the day's weather was all the more the same. If it started to rain, it would be even more suiting.**

 **No one was at the park today, the temperature was too low for dog-walking or frisbee. A ghostly setting was painted before you.**

 **Leaves twirled in the cold breeze in rounded loopty-loops, landing peacefully at your feet where you stood in front of a swing set alone, nothing but your thoughts to accompany you.**

 **He wasn't going to come, certainly because of the fight you had last night. In a way, he called things off with you but there was always a chance that he... that he would show up.**

 **"It's been two hours." Tears belted up in your eyes, slowly crystallizing from the freezing air. "He's not coming."**

 **The sound of dry leaves crunching beneath feet sounded and you looked up in surprise. "You...?"**

 **His blond hair was bright enough to glow in the dullness, popping out among the other colors. He was smiling wearily, eyes growing black-ish bags under them. He was crying; it's apparent.**

 **"You know I couldn't do that to you."**

 **Lunging forward, you attacked him with a passionate embrace.**

 _ **"I love you, Armin!"**_

You jolted back, throwing you into rays of sunshine, scents of coffee, car horns, and the sweet sound of a familiar voice. The seat cushion underneath you shifted with your body weight. Your skin wasn't tingling and on the verge of attaining frost bite, the pressure on your feet evaporated as you are now on your rear in a cafe stool, the sun was blanketing the city in waves, and people roamed the sidewalks.

You aren't in downtown Washington D.C. anymore.

" **'I love you, too Melanie,' the brown haired lover whispered to the world of a girl before him. Nothing, absolutely nothing cou'** \- _(f/n)_?"

The story was now flowing into your ears the proper way it should be heard, no "you this" "you that" stuff with him. Heck, the boy in this story had brown hair, why would Armin ever come to mind?

"Hey, _(f/n)_, are you okay?" concern growing in his gentle spoken words, cautiously approaching you as he bent over the table.

It was only until now that you realized you've been watching Armin with bat-crazy eyes, more white in your eyes than color, with your mouth gaping open and catching flies. your nails dug into your palms, on the verge of drawing blood from the sudden hit of reality.

Pushing your hair back on the top of your head, you fixedly improved your fearful appearance. Touching your face works just like a restart button for you, helping the flabbergasted expression erase itself from it's unwanted existence.

Tripping and collapsing over your speech, you tried to choke up, "Y- yeah! I'm f-fine.."

Armin scrunched his nose up and scooted out from the raised chair, studying you intently. "Hm, I'll be back. Just one minute."

Once little boy blue took off to the cafe's bar, you pulled out your pocket mirror and nearly slammed it into your nose, you got it out so fast. You scanned for anything wrong with your face. What if you were crying just like Melanie and didn't notice? Oh no, your mascara would have gone straight to the dogs if you so as dare cried.

Lucky for you, all that was wrong was your hair; it was being swept around while you spaced out. This hair style could have been pampered by a tornado.

Then he was back with two cups in hand, both hot drinks.

"You look like you need something to perk you up, you spaced out there for a second. Need me to reread the parts you missed?"

If only you did miss that part of the book or maybe just zone out at the moment where Armin made his 'jaw-dropping' entrance. You could do without the extra heart pacing.

Are they going to kiss in the book next? They said 'I love you'. _Oh my god, oh my god, it's destined to happen_. Hands slapping your cheeks and fingers covering your eyes was a failed attempt to press hard enough on your skull to repent thoughts about- _kissing_ \- Armin.

His flower-pink lips are probably as soft as they look and they've got to be as plush as feather-filled pillows when sunken into yours. He'd probably embrace you by your cheeks with his hesitant hands, shaking vigerously. Your hand, vibrating just as much as his, would tentatively hold his and take in his all-but-real touch, absorbing into the ki-

"No, no, _no_ , I heard all of it! I was, uhm-" you slammed your hands down on the table as energy filled as you would playing Slap Jack. "I was just getting lost in the story is all. But- _but_ I got all of it! Yeah, _yeah_ like when Melanie was standing there upset and I told y- I mean **_she_** told you- **him** -"

Deep breaths, _(f/n)_. You're throwing words up as if you ate a poisoned dictionary. Slow down, slow down, you assured yourself.

With one, long inhale and exhale, you prepared your words this time. "I heard everything. You can keep on where you left off."

At this moment, you were able to get a good scan of Armin's face. You know how you looked earlier with your jaw hitting the floor? Picture this on Armin but more hidden and less exaggerated. He slid your coffee to you at a pace slower than a baby's crawl. He was inching towards you like you were a ticking time bomb, about to explode in a psychotic rage.

His eyes were asking you a silenced question, ' _what is going on_ '

You took a long sip of your drink to ease your mind. It tasted sweetened with quite a bit of creamer. You must look like a soft coffee drinker because it seems as if Armin knew to put that much in yours. From the looks of his, he was drinking it close to black, meaning he intentionally made yours sugary for you; not randomly and make it just like his.

"I, uh, got so lost in the book I thought of-" You started to tilt your cup in a circular formation and watched as it did so. "I thought of _us_ in their situation."

He smiled blankly at you; no awkward blushing or shaking corners of his lips. Just a regular 'how-do-ya-do' smile. "That's neat, _(f/n)_."

Picking Star-Crossed back up, he continued off the very last word he spoke.


	3. Thinking Out Loud

Even though you've been texting Armin since noon, it was only until now that you sent the "I'm on my way" message. You're deathly late by 3 hours from your 6 o' clock meeting for your book session. A guilt-trip knot tied your stomach into a mess and no matter how many good songs came on the radio as you drove, a smile relented to show.

Throughout your day's schedule, you've been quite occupied. A family brunch, a quick movie with friends, and an hour break to buy yourself a treat with the gift-cards you received from them. It seems you lost track of time even though you've still managed to text Armin back; meaning you caught a glimpse of the current hour at least every time you powered your cell on.

Taking a minute more or less than fifteen, you finally arrived at the cafe just as the sun made it's fading farewell across the city surface. Noticing the darkness that was slowly creeping in only made you feel worse.

Armin sat comfortably and alone at the same raised table as the last hang out, reading and keeping to himself like a natural introvert. A plastic bag rested against the leg of his chair which was most definitely concealing new bought books or other things of that sort.

"Armin!" you called out before fully exiting your car. "I'm so so so sorry."

A toothy, apologetic grin flashed you. "Don't sweat it, _(f/n)_. It's been nice reading here so there's no worries."

His tone was stoic in a happy kind of way making you doubt it was a meaningful acceptance of your lagging appearance and instead was a lie to cover his actual impatience because he was too nice to admit it. Your face lit up shades of embarrassment, shame, and pity all at once.

A slight pause held your breath before you mustered up a "thanks" and awkwardly scratched your arm, trying to pull your attention to the irritating feel of your scratch instead of the emotions in your gut.

"Though, if you don't mind my asking," he began while dog-earing the page he was currently at and placing his story down. You awaited his question, completely willing to answer anything he had to quiz on. It was the least you could do for him after all.

"How come you've been so busy today?"

Okay, maybe not _completely_ willing.

If you tell him the truth, he'll just start fretting over doing something special for you or fester up a growing guilt over not buying you a present. Plus, you've already managed to create a bother for him already.

Unfortunately for you, an alibi to cover this fact was not coming to mind.

"I-it's my birthday."

In a split second- no, in a split _milli_ second, Armin shot up and out from his seated position as his pupils shrunk to small black beads and stared you dead in the eye. " **Today**?!"

You called this. You knew this was going to happen! Internal screams along those lines pierced your skull; mental slaps following shortly behind.

Sun-flower yellow hairs fell into odd positions on his stressed head (but you were very sure that was a situation he was not worried about), his panicking blue orbs darted around; probably looking for something to say to you.

"Uhm-"

Oh? Perhaps they were searching for _confidence._

"I have an idea."

Lips forming a straight-as-a-board line, you kept muted, allowing him to keep on. It's not as if you were planning on saying anything to him, anyways.

"How about we set off the reading for today,"

Disappointment in your own doing flooded your bloodstream, everything wrong you guessed would happen was coming into play right in front of you in a high-pressure explosion.

"What if I drove you around for an hour or two. We don't need to go anywhere specific; maybe where we can't see city sky-scrapers anymore. You can plug your phone into my stereo and we can just,"

 **"drive."**

Scenes unfolded in your mental movie theater. The windows of his car rolled down, letting night-cooled summer air sweep your hair away while your favorite song blasts or standing up in your seat, poking your head out of the top and seeing the empty fields with nude eyes. Maybe you could tell a story or two of your own to Armin, get to know him, laugh with him, look into his sparkling eyes, and hold his hand-

"Let's do it!" you exclaimed, trying to interrupt the lovey-dovey nothings intruding in on your fake scenarios. "I- I'd like that." _Seriously, what are you thinking?_

Just as he said, the towering buildings began to hide behind the earths ground. After living in such a stuffed city for as long as you have, the open area surrounding you felt freeing; so much to the point you were on pins and needles to take in the nature.

"Here you go, _(f/n)_," Armin chirped, handing you the aux cord.

 _Oh god,_ you whimpered to yourself. What if he hates your music? He's too soft-spoken to tell you to change it like your friends would. Plus, he'd probably try to endure it especially because it was your birthday.

The first song to perform on the speakers was the one and only Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran himself. It was a cheesy piece of music but you couldn't resist it. He sang it with such sincerity and the guitar accompanied his voice so melodically All in all making you a cliche crazed girl at the sound of the first note.

In a messy and not-so-smooth hurry, you tried to change it as soon as you could. Thoughts of hand-holding, a car ride alone and love songs will certainly not do you justice in the way you were wanting this night to go about.

Relief coated your tensed nerves as Innocence by Madeon (Daydreamer Remix) (Give a quick listen to set the mood if you feel like it.) found it's way to your playlist. It was calm enough to join the midnight sky and up-beat enough to bring your shoulders, half of your torso and head out of the window in a joyous flurry.

Nothing could touch you; no hesitance, no stress, no fear, nothing at all. The free, untainted and untouched air danced on your skin, the stars lighting up every aspect on the clean open ground around the road. You grinned at the man on the moon and he smiled back at you.

Good songs that were well suited for this picture-perfect moment kept playing on and on, putting your heart in an all out sprint.

You could feel cold travel into your lungs each and every time you inhaled and the warmth it brought back to your drying throat when it left. This car ride was exhilarating and beyond words.

Sliding back into your seat, you spun around to face the one who was making it all happen. Armin already had his eyes on you and his rosy face was illuminated by the nocturnal sun's glow.

 ** _'When your legs don't work like they used to before,'_**

The stars looked very breath-taking tonight,

 ** _'And I can't sweep you off of your feet.'_**

but nothing was as beautiful as that grin on his lips.

 ** _'Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?'_**

It was the same expression you see on him when he reads Star-Crossed to you.

 _ **'Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?'**_

When he's doing something he thoroughly enjoys, he looks just like this. Just like the way he's looking at you.

 _ **''Cause darlin', I will be loving you 'til we're seventy,'**_

Then the music, the tires running over rubble, the engine, your unsteady breathes silenced all at once. The only things left were you and Armin. He slowed the cars pace to ensure safety as his attention wasn't glancing at the road as much as it should have been.

Clear, Texas-afternoon sky eyes stared blankly into yours, getting lost as if they were in a (Eye color) labyrinth. The same could be said about you, as well. Close to nothing would be able to untangle you from his gaze.

Instinctively, you grasped his hand that happened to be relaxed on top of the arm rest. Armin hesitantly laced his cold fingers in yours, taking a firm hold of you.

Love filled the sea in his eyes while they darted between your two ones.

 ** _'Take me into your loving arms!'_**

The feet separating you turned to inches.

 ** _'Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars!'_**

Then inches to mere centimeters.

 ** _'Place your head on my beating heart!'_**

His red nose touching yours and your fingers gripping onto him more.

 ** _'I'm thinking out loud'_**

But then the city lights blared through your moment and Armin had to redirect all of his mind to the road and traffic. What may have happened is all but a "what-could've" but his quivering hand kept yours trapped, showing no signs of letting go. Nervous sweat broke out of his palm, bringing a pale baby pink to your skin. _This was happening._

 ** _'Maybe we found love right where we are."_**

 ** _'Maybe we found love right where we are."_**

 ** _'We found love right where we are."_**


	4. Straight Out Of The Book

**For the last bits of the drive, he kept your hand secured tightly in his, showing no signs of letting go. You may have to pry him off, but only if you were willing to let go yourself. This night felt like it could last forever and you would be content if it did.**

 **Then you arrived at your house, the headlights of his car hitting the front of the garage and reflecting off of the top windows.**

 **"I had a good time with you tonight," softly speaking, he glanced up at you and held his gaze.**

 **You blushed with only the car lights and star shine left to point it out. You felt his thumb begin to caress your skin in loopty-loops. "Yeah, I had a good time with you, too."**

 **Armin locked his eyes on yours, peaking at your lips every now and then. "I- I love you."**

" **ARMIN, YOU** -"

BOOM, your hands slammed the tables surface, calling the attention of all nearby strangers to your second episode of shock. The scared teen in front of you stiffened and clasped the edges of the book firmly, digging his nails into the plastic.

"_(f/n)_..?" he peeped.

Cautiously, you attempted to hide your flustered face behind your hair that was falling out from behind your ears and sliding against your cheeks.

The book, Armin last night, the car ride, book, Armin, ride, book, Armin- _Armin_!

"I'm okay, keep going." you managed to spit out without stuttering or hinting to him your inner doubts of where this is going. Where _is_ this going, exactly?

His grasp on the book loosened before his eyes hesitantly lowered down to it, easing back into the story; almost as if he were waiting for you to do something drastic again.

This chapter, this entire chapter is a perfect play-out of last night. Or was last night the perfect play-out of this chapter? Armin couldn't have possibly pulled this on purpose. He was smart but not this smart. Right? It's near impossible to guess if the night were to play out the way it did. You could imagine the scenario but that's it. ...unless you have a crystal ball.

You looked intently at the boy reading to you, his blue irises following the lines of the book, smiling to himself when a clever line was said. Nah. Armin couldn't possibly pull weird voodoo tricks or read palms. He's too literal for that.

So what was it, then? Is his intelligence all there was to go off on?

What about the fact that he took something out of the book and used it on you. And not just some random event from it, a romantic event that could have lead to kissing, him leaning over the compartment box by propping himself up on the arm rest while pressing against your lips softly and slowly, your smile making it's way into the event as you-

Cold fingers pressed against your face, touching from cheek to cheek; you were desperately trying to rid that ghost feeling from your lips. You held his hand but kissing him-? kissing him. Kissing _Armin_. It was an idea that didn't set in well.

After all, you've assumed he went after new book releases or maybe Marvel movie premieres rather than girlfriends. His nose is always stuck between the creases of book pages too often to even maintain a lady in his life, anyways. His passion is not a bad thing, that's not where you were going with this, it's just a little too strong to keep a relationship as needy as those are.

"Alright, I think we're done for today." Armin chirped as he raised to his feet, seconds away from tucking away Star Crossed in a hand bag.

"Wait, Armin," you held a hand up to him indicating for him to stop. It was such a sudden blurt, it even caught yourself off guard. What was this boy doing to make you so anxious? I wonder...

You grinned apologetically because you knew in a way this was an inconvenience to him, you asking this. "Could I, uhm, maybe take the book home with me? You read a few things in there I wanted to go back over."

A toothy sign of gratitude shown beneath his nose as he gladly handed it over to you.

"Sure, _(f/n)_. Glad you're liking it that much."

You cheekily returned the expression and thanked him quietly, taking the book.

~At Home~

 **Chapter 5: Drive In's**

 _Drive in, huh_? You thought to yourself, scratching under your jaw. Feeling a nuisance touch on your skin kept you on earth and in your right mind. If you weren't setting yourself straight, who knows where your mind would have traveled off to.

Armin could be planning his next move and you had a good idea of what it was.

Skimming through the chapters pages, you were relieved to see there was no kissing in this part, either. But, if it's not here... Where is it? When is it?

Will Armin-

 **BUZZZZ BUZZZZ**

Your phone screen lit up and notified you of a new text message.

 _This couldn't possibly be happening._

You nervously reached out for your cell.

 _This is all a bit of a stretch._

Opened up Armin's text.

 _Armin wouldn't pull something like this._

*loading*

 _It's too cheesy._

*loading*

 _And he's to smart to end up inviting you to the_

 ** _Armin: Drive in tomorrow? I heard from my friend that there was a good movie showing!_**

 **A-N: I'm sorry! I wrote this one in a hurry. I haven't updated in a while and needed to get something up. Don't worry. It'll get better next chapter!**


End file.
